Rumsfeld who?

Apparently marines learn the news about major DoD personnel changes the same way the rest of us do: from the Iraqis whose houses they occupy.

The NY Times has the story.

Yesterday a group of marines commandeered an Iraqi's house, ascending to his roof to scout for insurgents. As the Iraqi man sat downstairs, watching TV, the news reported Rumsfeld's resignation. The conversation then went like this:

Mr. Menti had passed the time watching television. Now he had news. He
spoke in broken English. “Rumsfeld is gone,” he told the sergeant, Michael A.
McKinnon. “Democracy,” he added, and made a thumbs-up sign. “Good.”

The marines had been on a continuous foot patrol for several days, hunting for insurgents. They were lost in the hard and isolating rhythms of infantry life. They knew nothing of the week’s news....

“Rumsfeld is gone?” the sergeant asked. “Really?” Mr. Menti nodded. “This is better for Iraq,” he said. “Iraqi people say thank you.” The sergeant went upstairs to tell his marines, just as he had informed them the day before that the Republican
Party had lost control of the House of Representatives and that Congress was
in the midst of sweeping change. Mr. Menti had told them that, too. “Rumsfeld’s out,” he said to five marines sprawled with rifles on the cold floor.

Lance Cpl. James L. Davis Jr. looked up from his cigarette. “Who’s Rumsfeld?” he asked.